Summit County sheriff's marijuana FAQ hits the street

— Marijuana will be available for retail sale beginning January 1, 2014 in several of the municipalities in Summit County. Currently no retail establishments exist in the unincorporated parts of the County.

• How old do I need to be to buy marijuana?

— You must be 21 years old or older to purchase, possess, display, transport or consume recreational marijuana.

• How much marijuana can I buy/possess?

— Colorado residents aged 21 and older can purchase up to 1 ounce of retail marijuana at a time. Non-residents can purchase up to a quarter of an ounce at a time. Individuals over the age of 21 may possess up to 1 ounce of retail marijuana.

• Can I smoke marijuana at work or in a bar?

— You cannot burn, smoke, inhale vapors or in any other way consume marijuana in any place of business.

• Can I consume marijuana in a vehicle?

— You cannot have open containers/packaging or consume marijuana in a motor vehicle located on public property or a public right of way. It is also illegal to drive under the influence of marijuana.

• Can I consume marijuana on National Forest lands?

— It is a federal offense to possess or consume marijuana on federally owned lands. This includes both lands in the White River National Forest and land that is leased from the U.S. Forest Service and located within the boundaries of any of the four ski resorts located in Summit County.

• Can I sell marijuana?

— Selling marijuana to another person for a price is illegal. It is also illegal to give marijuana to a person under 21 years of age.

• Can I take marijuana out of the state?

— It is illegal to take marijuana across state lines. In addition, possession of any amount of marijuana is strictly prohibited at Denver International Airport.

— To view the full list of frequently asked questions, visit Summit County or the Summit County Sheriff’s Office online.

Related Media

Last week, the Summit County Commission and the Summit County Sheriff’s Office released information to help residents and visitors better understand requirements related to the use, purchase and possession of marijuana in unincorporated Summit County since the passage of Amendment 64.

Summit County Sheriff John Minor attended the commission’s most recent workshop on Tuesday, March 18, where he presented a draft document containing frequently asked questions about marijuana. Minor asked the commissioners to sign off on the draft, saying the FAQs would serve as the office’s cornerstone document regarding public use of marijuana.

“Colorado is essentially the first state to fully legalize marijuana, so we’re in uncharted waters here,” Minor said. “For our residents and visitors who choose to use marijuana, this new policy helps clarify the ways in which they may do so lawfully in the unincorporated areas of Summit County.”

According to information in the FAQs and Colorado state law, marijuana use is prohibited in public spaces. Locally, public spaces are defined as public lands, such as U.S. Forest Service; grounds and outdoor areas, such as public ways, streets, sidewalks, alleys, parking lots and playgrounds; common areas of buildings usually open to the general public; and any other outdoor areas open to the general public.

Consumption of marijuana is permissible in private locations, provided that it is not prohibited by the property owner. Visitors are encouraged to contact their hotel or rental agency to confirm the applicable policy for marijuana use on the premises.

On Nov. 6, 2012, Colorado voters approved Amendment 64, which decriminalized the possession and use of small amounts of marijuana. Amendment 64 also authorized the retail sale of marijuana through a statutory permitting process.

Several permitted medical marijuana locations in Breckenridge, Frisco and Silverthorne have already finished the retail permitting process and have been selling retail marijuana to the public since the beginning of 2014. Summit County has had regulations in place since 2013 regarding the home-growing of medical and recreational marijuana.

“Colorado is essentially the first state to fully legalize marijuana, so we’re in uncharted waters here. For our residents and visitors who choose to use marijuana, this new policy helps clarify the ways in which they may do so lawfully in the unincorporated areas of Summit County.”